


Inked on My Soul

by thepurpleartist



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe- Seteth has Tattoos, Blue Lions Route, Dead Jeralt Reus Eisner, Depression, F!Byleth, F/M, Fight Me Seteth, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Grief/Mourning, Mentioned Blue Lions Students (Fire Emblem), Mentioned Sothis (Fire Emblem), Mutual Pining, My First Fanfic, My Unit | Byleth Is Doing Their Best, Rating May Change, Seteth has Chest Hair, Slow Build, Tattoos, tattooed priest, we'll get there when we get there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:46:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23542582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepurpleartist/pseuds/thepurpleartist
Summary: Byleth is still numb from the death of her father and her merging with Sothis. She decides to deal with the new chaos in her life by sparing with Seteth. But after a glimpse of Seteth's shameful secret, she realizes she may need him in her life for more than the odd fight.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth & Seteth, My Unit | Byleth/Seteth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	Inked on My Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thanks for reading my first ever fanfic! I absolutely love Seteth and my friend keeps telling me to "write the fanfic you want to read in the world." So here I am! I hope you like what I have so far and I shall link my socials in the end notes if you want to give me a follow. Enjoy!

Chapter 1  
Byleth could not force herself to focus on the weekly staff meeting going on around her. Hanneman had gone off on some tangent about some crest related information and Manuela was only making the matter worse by stating things that would make him become flustered and even more long winded. Rhea was not present for this meeting to stop them and though Seteth tried his hardest, he too could only sit and wait for them to stop.   
Usually Byleth would take in their ridiculous banter with her normal stoicism, but today she felt more empty than usual.   
Jeralt's death was still heavily weighing on her, even though his murderers were dead. Sometimes she thought she could still see him coming up beside her to discuss their next mission or simply to see how she was doing. But it was often her mind playing tricks on her, a passerby or a flicker of the shadows.   
He was gone.   
She had no family left in this world.   
This was when the little girl would normally pop up and tell her how she was being foolish because she now had her students. Berate her for getting emotional, then fall back asleep until their next encounter.   
But even Sothis was gone now, merged into Byleth's being. Though no one could tell from gauging her emotions. The only telltale signs of this were physical, new pale green hair and eyes. Without those it was easy to pretend it never happened.   
But it had happened.   
The two closest people to her were suddenly gone within a month of each other.   
Byleth knew it was silly to think like this because her Lions were a new family that would have her back no matter the situation. Mercedes and Annette would often stop by to help her brush her hair and get dressed for the day. Ashe brought her new books to read in her free times. Sylvain flirted more than usual and Ingrid was always there to give him a hard smack to the back of the head and an earful of how he was being insensitive. Felix insisted they duel as often as possible. Dimitri made sure to sit with her for every meal and discuss strategies for their next battles. Even the quiet second hand of Dimitri, Dedue, would help her tend to the greenhouse in the evenings.   
So despite feeling empty inside, Byleth knew she had a great family around her.   
Surprisingly, even Seteth was being much nicer to her. She stared across the table at the green haired man.   
Despite looking like he wanted to gouge his eyes out at the conversation that was somehow still going on, Byleth could admire how handsome he was.  
He had a rather agreeable face with beautiful emerald eyes that matched his shoulder length hair that Byleth wished, more than she should admit to, to run her hands through and feel how soft it undoubtedly was. He was tall too, with broad shoulders. And though he didn't look very muscular with his baggy tunic hiding what body type he had, Byleth imaged he was still in fairly good shape though probably not hard like she was.   
She never had seen him on the training grounds or in the Knights' sparring arena. The thought of him flat on his back with her standing over her was one of the few things that made Byleth smile today. Seteth noticed her small smile and raised a silent confused eyebrow at her.   
Her cheeks pinkened and she looked away from him. Such thoughts would not help her pay attention to this meeting.   
For the entirety of the rest of the meeting the image of Seteth having lost to her in a fight came back to her time and time again. Finally by the time it was called to an end she knew she had to witness it for herself.   
She hung back as Manuela and Hanneman left still having their normal back and forth. Then it was only Byleth and Seteth left.   
"Professor, is there anything I can assist you with?" Seteth said when he had noticed that she still remained.   
"Yes."   
Seteth waited a moment for her to continue before seeing she would not continue herself and prompted her. "And how might I be of service to you?"  
"You can fight me."

-

Seteth blinked a few times as though the statement had not been spoken. Then his face transformed into a similar one he had worn during their meeting. He couldn’t help but wonder how these were the professors Rhea had chosen to teach their future leaders. Between the petty fight Manuela and Hanneman had engaged in their entire faculty meeting and now this, Seteth figured Sothis was somewhere laughing at his current choice of companionship.  
“Byleth, why would I fight you? Is there perhaps some weapon lesson you need instruction on before teaching your class?”  
Seteth was desperate for some sign that she too wasn’t losing her mind.  
Byleth walked around the room to end up leaning against the table right beside Seteth. “No.”   
Now much closer than before, Seteth investigated her eyes for any signs that she may have had a glass of mead at lunch or something to that account. But there was no signal that she may be under the influence and Seteth was now just staring into her stunning new sea glass colored eyes for longer than was advised.   
He cleared his throat and awkwardly looked away starting to collect his notes from the table. “Well then I do not understand why you would wish to fight me.”  
“Seteth.” She cooed as her hand settled on his papers. He stopped what he was doing to look at her once again.  
Goddess, she was beautiful. Had she always been this beautiful, or was it her new position with the goddess that he found attractive?  
No, she had always been this beautiful. From the moment he saw her he had found himself drawn to her. Though back then she had no personality to speak of and he was counting down the moments before she would somehow betray Rhea and send the monastery into chaos. After she had returned Flayn safely to him, he had felt his walls crumble. He had wanted her in his life for good. Even going so far as to tell her that he was actually Flayn’s father.  
As they had chaperoned the ball just last month he had wanted nothing else than to ask for a dance, but his position and the fact that he had to watch over Flayn made it impossible. Besides, he doubted she had ever thought of his as anything other than her strict peer.   
A ping of sadness raced through his chest at that thought.  
He frowned and attempted to pretend he hadn’t felt anything. He had no reason to be sad by the notion that she would never be…  
Be what?  
What was it he wanted from her?  
“I believe a good spar between the two of us would do us both well.”  
Her speaking again forced Seteth to push away whatever dark road his mind was beginning to wander down. No reason to overthink something so simple. They were simply coworkers.  
And friends.  
They were simply coworkers and friends.   
Nothing more.  
“Have you not been able to practice with the Fraldarius heir? From what I’ve heard around the monastery, he will practice with anyone and everyone.” He stated.  
Byleth pushed a piece of hair away from her face and sighed. “Yes sparring with Felix is something I partake in often. I have even heard that Flayn has practiced with him.”  
“Flayn!” Seteth started before Byleth held up a hand and cut him off.   
“Yes even Flayn, though that is beside the point. If I am to be able to adapt quickly to these ever differing opponents, then I need to practice with different partners whom I don’t necessarily know the fighting styles of. It's the only way to make sure that next time I am not so unprepared for my foes.” She looked up, their eyes met, and Seteth saw a great sadness in her eyes. “I do not wish to lose someone I love again.”  
It felt as though a hand squeezed Seteth’s heart. He understood this feeling. He understood this too well.   
The thought of losing Flayn like they had her mother was… unbearable.  
Mindlessly he reached up and ran his fingers over his heart. Silently feeling it etched into his skin.  
Byleth’s eyes glanced at his hand for a moment and Seteth jerked his hand away from the spot.   
He swallowed hard. “Alright, I understand your point and I agree that there is no such thing as being too prepared. I shall fight you.”  
Byleth smiled her small smile and they quickly worked out when they would meet for this fight.  
Once they were satisfied with the time, Byleth turned and walked towards the door as Seteth remained to clean up his things. Right before she exited the room she turned back. “Oh yes, and I will very much enjoy you looking up at me from the floor when I win.” Then with a flourish she left.  
Seteth stared at the place she had previously been with an incredulous look on his face. It seems he was correct in assuming all of the professors at this monastery were not of sane minds.

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter- @PurpleArtist_  
> Insta- @CaptainMayhem007


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